Healthy Horizons

Healthy Horizons

Category Archives: Health Maintenance

Make Vegetables More Appealing

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  • Many vegetables taste great with a dip or dressing. Try a low-fat salad dressing with raw broccoli, red and green peppers, celery sticks or cauliflower.
  • Add color to salads by adding baby carrots, shredded red cabbage, or spinach leaves. Include in-season vegetables for variety through the year.
  • Include beans or peas in flavorful mixed dishes, such as chili or minestrone soup.
  • Decorate plates or serving dishes with vegetable slices.
  • Keep a bowl of cut-up vegetables in a see-through container in the refrigerator. Carrot and celery sticks are traditional, but consider red or green pepper strips, broccoli florets, or cucumber slices.

 

https://www.choosemyplate.gov/vegetables-tips

Healthy Rewards Fall Deadline Approaching

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The Healthy Rewards Program is a fun and easy way to earn rewards for all of the healthy behaviors you do daily. The due date for the Fall 2018 Rewards Card is Friday, December 14, 2018.  Turn in the form for rewards in the Healthy Horizons Office, PHSB Rm 110.  Participants in the Platinum status are eligible for a Fitbit drawing.  You may call at X8143 or email healthyhorizons@butler.edu with questions.  

Please access the Rewards Card form to track your points.

Email us at healthyhorizons@butler.edu if you have trouble accessing the online Rewards Card.  There will be a drawing for a FitBit for all participants earning “Platinum” status.

Fiber sources

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Did you know one ounce of chia seeds a day equals 40% of your daily fiber needs?  For this and other fiber information, check out the great helps below:

The majority of Americans are not getting enough fiber in their diet. Fiber helps the digestive system move things along. It helps with satiety and thus can be assistive in weight loss. Other potential benefits are improved heart health, lower cholesterol levels, and decreasing the risk of diabetes.

Fiber is found in all the foods that people have been eating less and less of in the past 50 years. In order to “help”, many food manufacturers have been adding “fiber” to highly processed food-like products. Unfortunately, almost all the added fiber is of one type, inulin.

When your daily fiber intake is varied through real foods, you feed multiple gut bacteria colonies. When inulin is the main source of fiber, only specific types of bacteria thrive while others wither. This imbalance may result in gas, bloating, nausea, flatulence, stomach cramping, diarrhea, constipation and GI rumbling.

There’s no shortcut to a variety, but some fiber options are easier to implement than others. Your goal is to reach at least 25 grams of fiber a day. Here’s how you can do it.

1. High fiber cereal. Since most people eat cereal on a daily basis, make sure that the one you regularly eat has at least 5 grams of fiber per serving. Read the label to verify that the fiber is from whole grains and bran. On cold mornings, oatmeal is also a good choice, with 3 grams of fiber.

2. Nuts and seeds. It’s easy to snack on these as part of a trail mix or on their own. Besides 3 grams of fiber, you’ll be getting a good amount of protein and healthy fats.

3. Chia seeds. A 1-ounce serving of these seeds has 10 grams of fiber! Easy recipe: mix once ounce of chia seeds (2 tablespoons) with two cups of water and one tablespoon of maple syrup. Pour into a glass jar and refrigerate for an hour or two. Shake vigorously and enjoy.

4. Avocado. A serving of one half an avocado will set you back 120 calories, but reward you with 5 grams of fiber. Not to mention that heaven is defined as fresh avocado with a pinch of salt.

5. Banana. A humble banana a day will add 3 grams of fiber to your total.

6. Vegetable salad. a simple salad consisting of half a cup of lettuce, half an unpeeled cucumber, medium tomato, one shredded carrot, and dressing, will provide 4-6 grams of fiber.

7. Canned beans. These guys are a fiber powerhouse – a 4 ounce serving of beans has 5-7 grams of fiber. Add as a side to your breakfast omelet, lunchtime salad, or dinner protein.

What did we miss? How do you add fiber to your daily routine?

https://www.fooducate.com/app#!page=post&id=5BE7CDF0-476A-0C11-43AC-A3AE338DE451

How to Find the new Shingrix Vaccine for Shingles

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Shingles Vaccine Shortage: What You Must Know

With demand for Shingrix outstripping supply, here’s how to protect yourself

By Diane Umansky
September 29, 2018

There is a shortage of Shingrix, the shingles vaccine.

Shingrix, the two-dose vaccine approved last year to prevent shingles and its blistery skin rash, continues to be in short supply—and shortfalls may last through the end of the year, according to Kathleen Dooling, M.D., a medical officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

How long you may have to wait for the vaccine may depend on where you live. “It probably varies throughout the country and is a moving target,” Dooling says. “We know that in some places supply is meeting demand, and in other places it’s not. There are a lot of factors, particularly large pharmacy chains’ ability to move supply around.”

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the manufacturer of Shingrix, calls the level of demand unprecedented and says it is shipping “large volumes” of the vaccine to pharmacies every two or three weeks—which it expects to continue doing through the end of the year.

GSK spokesman Sean Clements says the company is also keeping government agencies up to date on current supplies. GSK declined to specify the specific steps it is taking to prevent shortages in the future, but said in a statement, “Going forward, providers and patients can feel confident that more doses are being made available regularly and that they will be able to find the vaccine to complete their two-dose series.”

Difficulty getting the vaccine is bad news for those who want to protect themselves against shingles, which can bring two to four weeks of painful skin eruptions and, in 20 percent of cases, the lingering nerve pain known as post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). Shingles occurs when the chickenpox virus, dormant in those who once had the illness, reawakens years later. It strikes about 1 in 3 people at some point, and the older you are, the higher your risk.

The apparent effectiveness of Shingrix might explain the high interest. In clinical trials, the vaccine, which is approved for most people 50 and older, provides up to 90 percent protection against shingles and 86 percent protection against PHN.

That makes it far more effective than Zostavax, the single-dose shingles vaccine that has been available since 2006. It cuts shingles risk by 51 percent and PHN risk by 67 percent. The CDC considers Shingrix the preferred vaccine over Zostavax but says, “Zostavax may still be used to prevent shingles in healthy adults 60 years and older.”

Note that not all health insurance plans cover the vaccine, so check with your insurer first. And if you’re on Medicare, whether you’ll be covered can depend on whether you have signed up for a Medicare Part D plan. Read more about how to pay for your shingles vaccine.

Here’s what else you need to know about Shingrix availability and the steps to take to protect yourself from shingles.

What Can You Do to Find Shingrix?

If you’re eligible for Shingrix (50 or older, and not immunocompromised or taking moderate to high doses of drugs that suppress immunity), you can start by asking whether your pharmacist or doctor currently has the vaccine, suggests the American Pharmacists Association (APhA).

If no Shingrix is in stock, ask when they expect more and whether you can be put on a waiting list. (Some pharmacies and other providers may be keeping these.) Ask if they’ll contact you or whether you should call them periodically about restocking, and whether they know of another provider who may currently have Shingrix.

You might also want to contact other area pharmacies yourself. The CDC’s Vaccine Finder and GSK’s Shingle Vaccine Locator may be useful, but it’s wise to phone ahead before trekking to a far-flung pharmacy.

“The websites are not up-to-the-minute, so what’s showing in the vaccine finder may reflect yesterday or last week’s information,” Dooling says.

How Can You Get Your Second Dose?

As soon as you get your first dose, make an appointment for the second dose two months later, Dooling says. Ask whether the provider—usually a pharmacy or doctor—is keeping a list of people who need the second dose, because they should receive priority, according to the CDC.

“Find out if they have a recall and reminder system for people who’ve had their first dose,” Dooling adds.

Once you receive notification that your second dose is available, call the day before you’re scheduled to receive it to confirm, the APhA says.

But don’t skip that second shot. The two-dose recommendation is based on research, and we don’t have any evidence on how well just one dose might protect against shingles.

“You obviously get some immune response, but exactly how strong it is and how long the protection lasts is not known,” says William Schaffner, M.D., professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tenn.

And If You Can’t Find That Second Shot?

The CDC’s recommendation, based on evidence from clinical trials, is to get your second dose of Shingrix anywhere from two to six months after the first.

But if it takes longer than that to locate a second dose, don’t worry, Schaffner says. The CDC advises simply getting that second dose as soon as you can find it—and no, you don’t have to start the series over.

“The timing is not critical,” Schaffner notes. “You just don’t want to get it sooner than recommended because then the body’s immunity is still working on the first dose, so you don’t get the full benefit of the second.”

It’s also fine to get your second dose from a different pharmacy or doctor than your first. “But let your home-base provider know you’ve gotten it,” Schaffner says. “As soon as I got my second dose, I sent my physician an email so he could put it in my medical record.”

What If You Can’t Get a First Dose Anywhere?

One reasonable option, if you’re eligible, is to have the Zostavax vaccine in the interim, say both Dooling and Schaffner—but if you do so, you will need to wait at least eight weeks before getting the newer vaccine.

(Note that the CDC recommends that anyone who’s had Zostavax also get Shingrix and that Zostavax can’t be used as a substitute for a second dose of Shingrix.)

Finally, “Keep looking and be patient,” Dooling says. “It is worth the wait, and we anticipate that supply will catch up with demand.”

https://www.consumerreports.org/shingles-vaccine/shingles-vaccine-shortage-shingrix-availability/

 

Help Line for Diabetes Information

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Image result for diabetes support

Center for Information

Representatives at the Center for Information (1-800-DIABETES) are your personal guides to information on diabetes, as well as American Diabetes Association programs and events. Over the last year, more than 150,000 people contacted us with questions and concerns, or to seek support or direction regarding diabetes and its management.

In addition to offering brochures/pamphlets on a variety of diabetes topics, your representative can also:

  • refer you to an Association-recognized provider/education seminar in your area;
  • assist in connecting you with the appropriate local resources in your area;
  • assist people who face discrimination based on diabetes;
  • inform you of local Association events and programs, and volunteer opportunities;
  • process your personal donation or contribution.

At the core of providing this excellent service are highly-trained, dedicated personnel, who answer your non-medical questions in English or Spanish. In addition, a language interpreter service is available for any language.

Hours of Operation

Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET.  For more information link below:

Find out more about the American Diabetes Association.

Personal Fitness Training (HRC) Q & A

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Image result for Personal fitness training

Who Qualifies for Personal Fitness Training:

Personal training at Butler University is a service offered to all faculty and staff, whether they have an HRC membership or not.  Rates will differ depending on membership status (see our rates here).

Who trains?

  • Our personal training team is comprised of student personal trainers and a few non-students as well.  The majority of our trainers have received their nationally recognized Certified Personal Trainer certificate.  Some of our student staff have gone through our own in-house certification process.  This includes completion of a 9-week course on becoming a personal trainer.  We utilize the ACE Fitness curriculum.  These student trainers may only train at Butler University until they receive their nationally recognized certification.

What’s done at the first session?

  • The first session purchased with a personal trainer, will serve as a physical fitness assessment.  At this assessment, the trainer will take the client through a series of tests including body composition, cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, postural alignment, flexibility, and more.
  • If, as an employee, you have already had your incentivized Fitness Assessment completed recently, you may substitute this for the first meeting with the trainer.
  • You may access information on scheduling this Fitness Assessment at:  https://www.butler.edu/hrc/fitness-assessment

How do you register?

  • To register, each individual is required to fill out a registration packet and medical release form located here.

Is there a wait for an appointment?

  • At the moment, we have short wait-list for personal training due to high interest and a limited number of trainers matching the requested availability.  Time spent on the wait-list will vary – sometimes a day, a week, or even months. Your time on the wait-list may also be affected by your personal availability – if you have minimal time, it may be hard for us to find a trainer for you.

Why register now?

  • Our undergraduate assistant for personal training checks up on our wait-list continuously and works towards pairing our incoming clients.  We anticipate that at the start of the new year we will have new trainers on staff and will be able to eliminate our wait-list and open up opportunity for new clients.  If you are interested in training at the start of the new year, it is highly suggested that you complete and submit your paperwork as soon as possible, as it is a very popular time of the year for training.

We are grateful for the contributions to this blog post made by:

  • Natalie Szocs
  • Fitness Coordinator
  • Recreation and Wellness
  • Butler University

More information:

Carbohydrate Clues

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Carbohydrates are one of the major calorie-containing nutrients called macronutrients (the other macronutrients are fat and protein). Carbohydrates come in three main forms: starch, sugar, and fiber. When foods contain carbohydrates, they’re often a mix of these forms. In packaged foods, the grams and types of carbohydrates are listed on the Nutrition Facts Label.

Carybohydrate Infographic

Learn more about the changes to the Nutrition Facts Label here.

Disclaimer: Conagra Nutrition does not provide medical advice. Information is intended for educational purposes only. For specific nutrition guidance, please consult your regular healthcare provider or a registered dietitian.

https://www.conagranutrition.com/resources/nutrition-trends/nutrition-facts-label-carbohydrates

Weigh Less Holiday Challenge

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2018 Holiday Challenge: November 12 to December 31

Join the FREE Holiday Challenge and participate with other individuals across the United States. This free seven-week challenge provides you with strategies and resources to help maintain your weight throughout the holiday season. Follow the link below and click the blue “Register Now” button before the challenge starts on Monday, November 12th.  In addition, you may reach out to Healthy Horizons if you desire additional appointments during this time to monitor your weight or for ongoing health coaching. Let us maintain, not gain, together!

https://esmmweighless.com/holiday-challenge-live/